Ivan Katalinic's 'tache

Looks like Palace will be trying to keep two more of the old guard (Ward and Cahill) but Townsend isn't likely to re-sign: Crystal Palace set to confirm new Joel Ward contract as Andros Townsend opens up on his future plans (msn.com)

3 deals already today...

#inexplemsive?

And we thought we were getting the next Tony Adams!! 🤣

Scott Marshall? 2 games, 2 own goals, 2 defeats, in 1 week, sent out on loan to Celtic. Must be on a par.

It's gone a bit quiet on this one? I must have a different definition of "close"...

It's a funny one. On the face of it, if someone said we would be adding Celtic's star attacking midfielder to our ranks, a player who scored 17 goals last season for them, we'd be looking for another Van Dijk/Wanyama/Armstrong success story. But, because that player has been here already and not really been a success in the limited game time he had, we've adopted the sense he'll never come good. I guess, if he is being given another shot, we can only hope the 2 years he's had at Celtic has given him confidence, toughened him up physically and given him a better understanding of "British" football in readiness to have another crack at doing well in the Premier League.

All the talk was that this lad was a talent but seemingly something has gone wrong along the way. Best off going our separate ways, if so, and fingers crossed we don't live to regret it. I can only hope Young Boys headlined the story on their website "Jank at the Wank" or something along those lines...

The race for Arnaut Danjuma is underway - if we are interested. This is from the BBC Gossip page. Championship side Bournemouth have rejected a £13m bid from Villarreal for 24-year-old Dutch winger Arnaut Danjuma.

'Arsenal sign Benfica defender Tavares' http://www.skysports.com/share/12352858

He really has slipped from being the Special One, hasn't he?

A bit unfair. Che has two feet too - it's just it's one for standing and one for kicking. 😁

Bissouma replacement maybe?

Which means he's one duff and/or injury hit season away from being out of contract and having none of the sides he's thinking of being interested in him (especially as he'll be 29 by then). It could be risky on his part and it'll be interesting to see how this plays out. The best case for Saints, other than him having a complete change of heart, is he has a stellar season before he goes and we get a year to find and bed in his replacement...

Ismaila Sarr seems a fair trade for a player who's played in a recent Champions League Final... 😎

We probably just tell them to look at the career paths of Van Dijk and Mane, glossing over how 'well' it went for Hoedt and Carrillo!

Given we're now just about into July, hopefully an announcement is imminent, if the deal is as close as is being speculated? I do miss the days of K,billy and Guan popping by with their thumbs up early warning signs...

Can he do it on a wet Tuesday night in Burnley? Doubtful.

What Ralph Hasenhuttl said about Thomas Delaney transfer with Borussia Dortmund move linked - HampshireLive Interesting line in Hampshire Live's piece playing down Thomas Delaney as a target for Saints: Saints will instead look to offer an alternative in the number six position by signing a flexible full-back who is comfortable stepping into the midfield. Reads like a very Ainsley Maitland-Niles type of signing. who we've been linked with again? Or am I reading too much into it?

And Messi is only back-up to Redmond

I'd hope that bringing Armstrong in is for good ol' competition for places. Two up top from Ings, Adams and Armstrong - whoever is scoring and/or playing better plays? It's the only way we'll look to improve. Then, next summer, either Danny signs to stay on or he leaves on a free and we look for a replacement. This also has the benefit of keeping Redmond out of the front line and maybe back in as one of the attacking midfielders if he can re-discover some form.

Although not a big fee, I guess they have the Buendia money to spend, a pot of cash they didn't have to tap into last time around.

Isn't his name Adam? I remember us chasing Alun Armstrong a striker from Stockport back in the 90s, who ended up at Middlesbrough and Ipswich and didn't really turn out to be the player they both hoped he would be. Just like Saints to be leading the chase for the wrong player... 🤣

An interesting line at the end of that article is that Leicester switched their attention to Patson Daka after there negotiations stalled over the fee for Edouard. I wonder if Celtic have a higher price in mind than the one being quoted in the papers (about £13-15m from memory)?

Started typing one thing and then left it in when I realised it had already been said (but clearly didn't delete it)! I blame the heat... 😁